


A Discussion by the Lake

by Willowflower_Waterlily



Series: Commander Cullen's Thoughts [9]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-09
Updated: 2015-03-09
Packaged: 2018-03-17 03:47:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3514199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willowflower_Waterlily/pseuds/Willowflower_Waterlily





	A Discussion by the Lake

Cullen browses through his book shelves as he waits for Shaelya to come see him. He wants to take her away for the day to the lake, his lake. When she appears in his office, he tries to act smooth. "There you are." He says calmly.

"Were you waiting for me?" She asks, a little surprised.

"Yes... I mean no." She smirks at him, as if waiting for him to decide which he actually meant. "I was hoping we could go on a day trip into Ferelden, if you have the time." 

"I have some time now." She replies quickly. 

"I'll make the arrangements." 

 

Cullen helps her dismount her horse and leaves both horses to graze in the field by the lake. He take her hand and holds the basket with their lunch in the other. This place has also been special to him, from when he was a little boy. Cullen can still picture sitting on the dock with his mother, eating lunch. Smiling to himself, he leads Shaelya on to the dock. "What is the place?" Shaelya asks, in awe. "It's beautiful."

"I used to come here a lot when I was a boy. I love my siblings, but there were very loud. I would come here to clear my head." Thinking back to those times, he remembers playing with his siblings by the lake. "They always found me, eventually." He adds chuckling.

"Thank you for sharing this place with me." Shaelya says, smiling at him. He leans in and kisses her lightly, before handing her a sandwich. Sitting at the end of the dock, they swing their feet over the water and eat. 

"I wanted to apologize for my behavior before you left to meet with Hawke and her Warden friend." Shaelya shakes her head.

"You don't have to apologize, lethallin. I know you were dealing with much."

"It is no excuse." He replies. "Why didn't you tell me about your nightmares?" Cullen asks gently. He sees the same haunted look in her eyes as when she returned from Redcliffe. He pulls her onto his lap and holds her close. "We're both safe, that future isn't going to happen."

"I didn't want to add to your burdens, and I told Cole not to speak of it either." She says, frowning at her reflection in the water.

"He didn't tell me the whole thing, I stopped him. Do you want to tell me? Maybe it would help you if you got it out." Shaelya looks up at him thoughtfully, and he hopes that he can help her.

"Will you tell me of your nightmares too?" She asks. He doesn't want to, doesn't want to add to the weight on her shoulders. She already bears all of southern Thedas on them. Then he realizes that he should, because if she is willing to tell him, then he should do the same. Cullen nods and they tell each other their nightmares. 

"What do the Elven words you said mean?" He asks, wondering why he had never thought to ask before. 

"Ir abalas means I am sorry, ma vhenan means my heart, and ar lath means I love you." Shaelya replies, smiling at him. Cullen's breath catches and he feels his heart leap into his throat. 

"You... You love me?" He asks, in a daze, hoping this isn't a dream.

"I do, I've loved you from the moment we met." She replies shyly, as she leans into him.

"As have I." He whispers, as he leans in to kiss her. Tracing the green lines of her Dalish tattoo that wrap around her eyes, he smiles at her. "I love you."


End file.
